Multiplex communications – Wide area network – Packet switching
Patent
1992-12-17
1995-08-22
Olms, Douglas W.
Multiplex communications
Wide area network
Packet switching
370 582, 370 60, 370 61, 370 856, 34082551, 34082579, H04L 1254
Patent
active
054447003
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to the switching element for high-speed data traffic.
The invention also relates to a method for controlling the said element.
The development of high-speed digital broadband networks and real-time multimedia services based on these networks sets new demands on the hardware and software solutions in these systems. The data transfer rate for instance in a MAN network (Metropolitan Area Network) is 140 Mbps, and in FDDIs (Fiber Distributed Data Interface) 100 Mbps. If packet routing is performed in these environments, there is a demand of 100-600 Mbps throughput of data between data transmission and processing components.
As examples of hardware which demand high data flow rates and thus high data throughput, let us mention high-speed packet switched networks (ATM), routing between FDDI, LAN and MAN networks, real-time digital video compression, real-time multimedia coding (ASN. 1+VER), real-time security algorithms and multiprocessor machines with distributed operating systems (e.g. MACH-supercomputer).
High data throughput demands high data transfer rates between the input and output of the system. In the prior art there are known transputer-type solutions where the processors are connected to each other with 30 Mbps serial connections. However, these connections are difficult to apply, because the fast data stream should be effectively distributed over the transputer network. This would demand some kind of distribution frontend in the system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to introduce a new switching element and method for controlling the same, by means of which element for instance high-speed broadband data networks can be realized, as well as real-time multimedia services based on these networks. A general object of the invention is to provide a versatile switching element to be applied in many different environments, such as in microprocessor bus solutions for connecting processors and memory units or other similar resources, as well as in high-speed digital networks.
The switching element of the invention for high-speed data traffic comprises two input ports and two output ports, through which data is transmitted in data elements, which consist of at least an address part and a data part; a switching unit for connecting the input and output ports; and a control unit whereby the bus is coupled, on the basis of the address part of each data element, through the switching unit, in between the input port and at least one output port for the transmission of data. According to the invention, the input and output ports are ports wherethrough data is transmitted in parallel form; the internal buses of the switching element are parallel buses formed of an address bus and a data bus, these buses being connected to the switching unit at the input ports; the control unit comprises a decoding and coding unit of the address part of the data element, to which unit the input ports are connected by an address part bus; the switching unit is connected to the output ports; and a clock signal channel is arranged in the switching element, the said channel being connected to input buffers, to the control unit and the switching unit; and by means of the clock signal received through this channel, the transmission of data elements, performed through at least the first input port and the first output port, is synchronized.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the second input port and the second output port are provided with buffers, most advantageously with FIFO buffers. In that case a peripheral device or the like can be coupled to the second input port and to the second output port asynchronically, although the data elements are transmitted synchronically through the switching element proper.
According to the invention, in the control method of the switching element, data elements are transmitted between input and output ports, so that when the data part of the data element fed in through the first input port carries data, it is sent, th
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Martikainen Olli
Raatikainen Pertti
Suoknuutti Marko
Zidbeck Juha
Blum Russell W.
Olms Douglas W.
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